Car-coupling



(NoMoaeLy zsheets-sh'eet 1.

W. B. BURNS.

CAB. GOUPLING.

No. 507,781. Patented 001;. 31, 189s.

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| I l. II I t (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. .13. BURNS. .GAR GOUPLING.

No. 507,781. Patented 001;. 31, 1893.

UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIS B. BURNS, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,781, dated October31, 1893.

Application filed July 17, 1893. Serial NOA-.80,707- (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIS B. BURNS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Syracuse,in the county of Onondaga and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, Vofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to car couplers of the Janney type wherein eachdraw head is furnished with a pivotal block or L-shaped knuckle, theknuckle of two draw heads being adapted and arranged to swing or turnabout their pivot pins .and to engage with each other when the drawheads are brought together.

The invention consists in various novel features and combinationshereinafter set forth, prominent among which are a gravitating latch forlocking the knuckle against movement, and a lever actuated by a cam orrib on the latch and serving to swing the knuckle about its pivot and toopen the coupling.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a perspective view of onedraw-head of my improved coupler, portions being broken away to show theconstruction and arrangement of the working parts. Fig. 2 is a similarview, but with the knuckle thrown outward or opened instead of closedand locked, as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, with the drawhead in section, the knuckle being shown in its closed andlockedposition by full lines, and in its opened position by dotted lines. Fig.4 is a perspective view of the knuckle, looking upward from beneath; andFig. 5, a perspective view of the gravitating latch and of the lever bywhich the knuckle is thrown outward.

The objects of my invention are, to produce a simple and efficientcoupler, which shall automatically couple and lock when two draw-headsare thrown together; in which the knuckles may not only be unlocked, butmay' also be thrown out of locking position, so that there shall be nonecessity for taking hold of and swinging the knuckles outward, nor forholding back the locking device after it is released and until the carsare drawn apart; and in which there shall be no springs or small anddelicate parts.

With these ends in view I construct my coupler in the manner illustratedin the anvary in form and dimensions according to its,

intended use for freight or for passenger cars,

as is the case with other car couplers. The forward or outer end of thedraw head is of the general U-shape common to its class, and a knuckle,or L-shaped block B is hinged or pivoted in one arm of the U-shaped end,and arranged to swing about a heavy vertical pin C, as shown in Figs. l,2 and 3. The general shape of the knuckle B is similar to that of theknuckles of existing couplers of this type; that is to say, its forwardarm a is formed with a recess m to receive an ordinary link, 'and isperforated for the insertion of a com-mon coupling pin, so that a carwith this draw head may be readily coupled withacar having the ordinarylink and pin coupling. The rear or inner arm b, of the knuckle B is,however, rounded off or beveled on its rear and upper face, to enable itto ride beneath and to lift a gravitating latch or locking dog D, shownin Figs. l, 2, 3 and 5. To facilitate the entrance and movement of thearm h beneath the latch or dog D, the forward under portion of the latchis also beveled or rounded,

'as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. VThe latch or dogD is a quite heavy andsubstantial block,

which may be cast or forged, as deemed best,"

the pivotal portion of which reaches from one inner wall of the neck orshank of the draw head to the other, so as to receive direct and I firmsupport from the draw head and torelieve its pivot pin E of unduestrain. The forward end of the latch or dog is made slightly wedging inforni, or somewhat narrower on its lower than its upper face, so as tocome to a firm bearing against acorrespondin g bearing face c in thedraw head, and against the forward face of arm b of the knuckle B, whenthe latter is locked in place.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2V and 3, the forward end of the latch or dogextends somewhat beyond the sweep or line of movement of the l'OO iswithin the body of the latch or dog, so that A neither may move or rockindependently of the other.

the polygonal body and opening are deemed the better construction. Therockshaft E projects outward from the side lof the draw head, fand mayreceive vor be `connected with anysnitable hand lever `or other device-for turning it.

`In Figs. 1 and 2 I have represented fthe rockshaft as "furnished withan 'extension Vrod F, terminating in a lateral arm or hand pie'cc d.Such an arrangement contemplates actuation of the latch from the side ofthe car, and will bele'specially suitable for freight cars, but forpassenger cars it will ordinarily be prefierable to arrange an uprighthand lever upon the car platform, and to connect it 'by chain, linkorotherwise with an arm 'on "the rockshaft.

The `central portion or hub of the knuckle B is formed with recesses e ef'a't top and "botf tom, the `end walls or shoulders of which e'ngagewith "or abut against similar shoulders, or lugs f, formed 'upon the"draw-head, and thereby limit `the 'throw or "movement "of 'the knuckle'B about its pivot.

torn wall of `the'draw head ope'ning,o1"inay"be The rearend `or armoflever a "separate bolt. G rests against the side of rib gof fthe latchD, near the forward end of said rib, as the partsstand when 'the knucklelisswnngin and locked. The forward farm of :said lever for-med `with a"curvededge or face z', which bearsfagainst `a 'ribj formed upon thelower` sideoffarm b of Vknuckle'B; and attheextieine outerendof theforward arm of said lever there is'forin'ed a nose or hook k, which, asthe knncklereachesthe limit of its outward movement, engages with the`end wall `of tadee'pened portion e of the lower recess aandfpreventsfurther movement ofthe lever G. This engagement of the hook or nose kalso insures Itis obvious that a key or feather, or a through-pin mightbe used to thus connect the latch or dog and its rock-shaft, but l is a"rib g, which is inclined `er curved the return of the lever to itsnormal position when the knuckle is swung back to place. The descent oflatch or dog D is limited by a shoulder or stop Z, seen in the bottomview, Fig. 3.

Two `draw heads being constructed and fitted with parts as above setforth, their oper ation is as follows: Assuming that the parts are inthe position shown in Fig. l, the rockshaft E is turned to lift thelatch or dog and thereby to unlock the rear arm b of knuckle B. As thelatch D swings upward its curved rib or cam g, acting upon the rear endof lever G, throws the forward end of said lever laterally against therib j of knuckle B, causing said knuckle ro swing abont its pivot and toassume the position indicated in Fig. 2, and by dotted lines in Fig. 3.The li'ockshaft E being then released, the latch Ddrops back bygravit'ytothe positionlshown in Fig. l,faided by the weight o`f hand piececL iffthat be used, leaving the knuckle in Tthe forward or open position shownAin Fig. 2. The two cars are now brought together, and the forward arm aof each knuckle, bearing against the "rear arm Z) of the other knuckle,causes each to swing about its pivot, the arxnsb riding beneath andlifting the respectivelatches D, which drop `down infront of and firmlylock the arms b as soon as the arms complete their backward movements.It vwilly thus be seen *that without passing or Vreaching `between thecars and without directly touching the knuckle, each member of thecoupling may be 'quickly and 'certainly unlocked, opened, and left open;and when 'the two are brought together they will automatically coupleand lock. ltwi'll also `be seen th'at'fthe unlocking-and "openingof thek'n'ckl'l'e's rcan be effected 'equally well whether t-heica'rs arecoupled l'or Tuncoupled atthe time. 'lhelatch or @locking dog AD havinga solid #bearing against 'the wall of thedraw head, land being itself"strong uand heavy, affords `a veryseeure lock foifthe -knili'ckl'egwhile `its'wedgiingform causes :it to bear closely against 'thed'r'awhe'ad and against the rear a'rmof the knuckle, thereby preventi ngplay or lost motion, which play always eondnces :to breakage orldisarrangeme'nt. The strain or pressure of the knuckle B upon the latchtor 1dogib'eing rat right :angles 4to the movement of the latter, thereis no tendency to force'the rlatch ifrom its locking "position,andnhence there 'is fno liab'ilityof :the i`coupling Ebecomingaccidentally unlocked.

All fthe ip'a'rts are fof ample iprportins, streng, fand simple, 'and`thelliabilitfy Ito ldcrangement "attend-ing the Iuse of `springs anddelicate mechanism is avoided.

Irwin fb@ observed that the llocking dogicr latch D hasa simplelrisingand fallingimove ment, without lateral or spiral inaction, and that whenin locking position lit bears firmly against the tail of the knuckle'atone "side and against the wall of the drawlhead at the other side, owingto its slightly wedging form.

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When in locking position its weight is almost wholly at one side of andin horizontal'planef with the rock-shaft which constitutes its pivot, sothat while its Weight tends constantly to hold it in locking position,the block is not free to swing or move by. reason of sudden starting,stopping or jolting of the car, as would be the case were it a pendulousblock. So, too, it will be noted that I avoid the use of springs to openthe coupling when the locking dog is withdrawn, and require no catchesor detents to hold the locking dog or latch in one or another positionfor coupling or uncoupling.

The combination of the direct-movinglocking dog or block with theknuckle and intermediate lever, prod uces an exceedingly strong, simpleand efficient coupling, which may be operated with ease and certaintyunder all conditions, and is not liable to derangementV or injurythrough the severe usage to which car couplings are inevitablysubjected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combinationwith a vdraw-head, a knuckle mounted and arranged toswing about avertical pivot therein, a latch for locking said knuckle arranged toswing about a horizontal pivot passing transversely through thedraw-head, and a lever located between the knuckle and the latch andserving to transmit motion from each to the other, substanf tially asandfor the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with draw-head A and horizontally-swinging knuckle B,vertically swinging latch D carried by a transverse pivot E; and lever Glocated between the knuckle and the latch and serving to transmit motionfrom one to the other.

3. In combination witha draw head A and a knuckle `B pivoted therein andprovided with rib j,latch D provided with rib g; and lever G pivoted inthe draw head and bearing at opposite sides` of its fulcrum against theribs g and j respectively.

4. In combination with adraw head A and with a knuckle B having alimited range of movement therein and provided with recess e; latch Dprovided with rib g,- and lever G, provided with hook or nose lo toenter said recess, substantially as and for the purpose explained. v 5.In combination with a draw-head,

knuckle or L-shaped block pivoted and ar. ranged to swing horizontallytherein, a horiv and closed without the aid of springs andr catchesother than the locking block.

In witness whereof I hereunto setmy hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

y WILLIS B. BURNS.

Witnesses:

ALBERT W. DovvsLAND, P. F- DWYER. v

